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Nicholai Denholm-McGowen
{wip} Lord Nicholai Denholm-McGowen, count of Aberdeen, is a philanthropist with a history of contributions and donations to various organizations. Prior to the death of the previous Count of Aberdeen, Nicholai spent his life in Dalaran as a student to the magical arts. Amassing a wealth through investments and work as a dedicated mage to Stormwind, he purchased ships which still run trade routes to various ports across Eastern Kingdoms, Kalimdor, and even one in Northrend. His wealth he has always used to improve conditions in the city and surrounding lands through donations and volunteer labor work. As of August the Seventeenth, 623(4?) of the King's Calendar, Nicholai has been brokering trade deals with Kul Tiras. He's also known to be seeking military commendations for his Aberdeen Militiamen and women who fought in the Battle of Lordaeron as support units, many of whom perished. =Brief Summary= Born April the Seventeeth 581 K.C, Nicholai was trained in Dalaran and did not leave until the end of the second war where he helped build New Stormwind. He penny pinched and starved until he could purchase the beginnings of what would grow into a small fleet of tradeships that utilized trade routes with Lordaeron and Stromgarde before they fell, before moving onto Nothrend until the fall of Icecrown, and finally settling on several contracted trade deals with business across the Eastern Kingdom's shores. Largely known for volunteering his service and his ships to rescue operations to retrieve Lordaeronian refugees, he is a well-known visitor and patron to the orphanage in Stormwind City. He has ties in the Alliance Military for his service as a Volunteer soldier alongside a band of mercenaries that he personally paid for using his trade business. Officially working unpaid for the Military and never officially joining it either. ''With the death of Charles McGowen's legitimate heir, Lady Erzsibet Mara approached Nic as the bastard of Charle's McGowen and offered the title to him. Considering his experiences worthy enough of an education, he took up the challenge and has been awaiting approval by the house of Nobles to claim the Countdom of Aberdeen. Latest reports put him in Kul Tiras brokering trade deals, or in the keep of Stormwind, depending on who you speak to. '' =Detailed History= Dates correspond to the Kings Calendar as closely as could be managed with what public records are available. Birth 581 - When Nicholai was born, the first war just over the horizon. Born to Charles McGowen's mistress, raised by his Mistress' family, he was raised as a squire to a Knight. Primarily earning his place through diligence of duty, an uncommon willingness to share and embrace chivalrous qualities as well as a slightly above average skill with the blade. From 592 until 593 592 By the time Nicholai was 11, the world's first disturbing, whispered rumors of war and alien invasion began. Having been raised in Stormwind by his relatives, he naively believed he was safe from the orcish horde. The challenges began as towns in Redridge and Westfall burned, the pillars of smoke tell-tale signs of the encroaching threat. Dispatched with the knight he was destined to sir, Sir Rodrick Valencia, they were initially stationed at the bridge between Westfall and Elwynn forest. 593 The First Siege of Stormwind was cataclysmic for Nicholai. His knight had perished in battle, leaving him chargeless and with little way to bring income or support to the family that took him in. From a young age he showed a natural aptitude for magic, the rather traditional followers of the light didn't wish to encourage this but saw no other future for the boy except in Dalaran. He would be safe there, and they would never send him to war, believing the orcs to be Stormwind's problem From 601 until 610 601 Many great events took place during this time. Trapped behind the walls of Dalaran, there was little he could do except study. It wasn't until he was 19 years old that his master deemed him worthy enough of a mage to represent Dalaran's teachings and be free to do as he pleased. Making a bee-line to his home city, reuniting with what little remained of his family, he began to help rebuild Stormwind. The use of his magic greatly reduced the labor costs of rebuilding, and earned him a favor from crown- though, obviously, he didn't meet the King himself. It was during this time that he saw his potential, witnessed his destiny unfold before him. It wasn't a magical moment, rather it was a true epiphany of the conscious mind. He saw years of service and the aid he could provide through ships. The most obvious first step was to ask for such a ship as a favor, and the crown gave it gladly. The next few years is split between two major focuses. 601-612 Nic's ship started a trade route with Lordaeron, shipping the basic trade groups of fur, spice, steel, and weaponry. By the time his ship had been running it's route for four months, he had enough to begin another route in a second ship focused on the trade of barely, wheat, and other grains that don't grow in the harsh mountains around Iron Forge. They paid well and established one of the first contracts with the burgeoning business he had begun. 603 By the year 603 Nic had expanded into land trade, where great shipments of supplies were sent through the dark portal to help build Honor Hold in Outlands. This was less lucrative than he had hoped for but still brought a small fortune. Once Draenor began to become unstable and such shipments were simply too dangerous to make, he cut off that particular business. 610 In 610, the Alliance of Lordaeron was disbanded and business grew more difficult to establish for a few months while the necessary routes were reordered on a more peace-time system. Once the initial lines were drawn up, Nic managed to secure trade routes to the kingdom of Alterac as well as a long caravan haul to Lordaeron. Surprisingly, it was the Caravan hauls that he wold become most well-known for. While his other contracts were far more lucrative, the caravans would eventually become key in handling the looming threat of the Third War. From 610 to 620 While a tremendous amount of events took place during this time, Nic himself was primarily focused three things. Maintaining a healthy business, using his caravan route to gather as many refugees from Lordaeron as possible, and establishing new contracts. He had managed to hire a council of trusted employees, a sort of union if you will, who largely handled the business ends of things while he himself personally attended the retrieval missions. As one might imagine, he’s become a household name at the Orphanage. Nevertheless the loss of both Lordaeron and Stromgarde complicated things greatly for his business. Many of his employees were devoted, loyalists but they had families they needed to feed. With that in mind, it became imperative that he sought new contracts. Focusing largely on renting his ships to the Alliance Military for activities while preforming volunteer work to recover refugees from the north and Alterac. This resulted in quite the number of donations that kept his activities afloat. 617- 620 This period of time is a quiet point for Nicholai. More time spent trying to save any one he can while lending the aid of mercenaries he had hired years ago who signed on as fulltime employees of his, coupled with an uncanny ability to bring the absolute best out of the people who worked for him built him a quiet but beloved reputation. Most of the funds he made that didn’t simply go into further activities were given to the orphanage and other families who had taken in the refugees. From 620 until 622 This two years was some of the lowest and highest for Nichoali. While the battles in Icecrown from yesteryear should have been far away, too many of his own people volunteered and died. His business suffered for a short period of time but it was his heart that struggled the most. You can only ship so many dozens of bodies to burnt, unreturned to loved ones besides charred bones and keepsakes, before the death and pointless tragedy began to darken one’s spirits. While the Cataclysm during this period of time is hardly a happy one for anybody, it was a tragedy of a different source. The terrifying wails of the undead didn’t accompany him very often and that oppressive atmosphere gave way to a brimming desire to help rebuild. Several wings were added to the orphanage under his funds alone, and the resulting increase in his own reputation began to afford him greater, easier access to further contracts. At this point his ships numbered three in Stormwind and another three in Menethil harbor. Seven regular patrols north to help whoever they could as well as clear highwaymen out as they found them. From 623 until Present Day The last three years Nic has maintained a healthy pattern similar to what you’ve read so far. His own personal contribution to the defenses of Theramore, through ships of mercenaries as well as soldiers shipped in boats loaned to the Alliance Military, coupled with his continued efforts to reunite lost families, earned him a place in the quieter annals of history. While he stayed out of the affairs taking place in Draenor, having no rank to cross that boundary anyway stacked on a general distaste for needless violence against people he wasn’t sure were what they were portrayed as. It wasn’t until the last month that his life finally began to change. At 42 years old he has to seriously consider producing an heir for the fortune he had amassed. The largest challenge of which is finding one who will follow the same train of virtues he himself believed in. This distracted him until he was approached by one Lady Erzsibet Mara, who explained his heritage. Never being told of his illegitimate ties to the previous Count of Aberdeen, he was initially reluctant to claim the title. It was explained to him that an heir HAD to be found, and, seeing no choice as there was no other heir, took up the mantle. He has since discovered his close friendships with his previous employers makes him a prime candidate for a truly incredible lord to the otherwise improvised land of Aberdeen. New plans laid out and presented to the town mayor should bring a burgeoning trade with Redridge and surrounding lands. He grew so close to the town that five of their most well trade town guard had chosen to accompany him to Darkshore. War of Thorns Chapter One The War of Thorns, as it's been taken to be called, was fascinating for Nicholai who only ever spent a very little amount of time on a battlefield. The five Aberdeen County Militia women and Nic focused primarily on searching for wounded and retrieving whatever artifacts they could along the way for evacuation. But the battle ramped up to such an intensity that it was only a matter of time before his group was forced into open combat. They worked well together, focusing first on survival and last on heroics. There teamwork earned them a positive reputation among the 23rd legion they were working under before the second stage of the War of thrones began to heat up. Chapter Two While Saurfang and the Dark Lady pushed further north, Nic and his group found themselves cut off from the 23rd regiment at the south eastern coast where the Azerite was found. While not collecting any themselves besides that which they immediately turned in, they received a distress call from a friend of Nicholai's, Lady Erzsibet Mara. Immediately responding to the call of a friend, he and his group met up with a band of Kaldorei hunter-priestesses who aided him in clearing out the Goblins who had trapped the Lady Mara within the cave. While he was happy to help Lady Mara a significant portion of the remainder of his time was spent doing his usual work: search and rescue. By seeking out fleeing Darkshore resident's he was able to open a portal to relative safety. He had made his way to Teldrassil just in time to watch the fires come crashing down. He, like many others, saved as many as he could- sending them to the portal to Stormwind in the Temple of Elune, before evacuating himself and his Militia. He is currently compiling a list of heroic activities performed by his Militia in the hopes of knighting them and making them the first official start to his own army. The most recent siege of Lordaeron was the first time Nicholai had ever been part of an offending army, albeit still technically a paramilitary one. The Militia that came with him was doubled, bringing his own personally trained soldiers up to ten. While the number is small, they used the small team to effectively strike at key points where weak points had opened in the Alliance army's flank. The sudden use of the plague openly turned them once more to a rescue op team and dozens upon dozens of soldiers owe their lives to the men serving beside the would-be lord. Unfortunately things took a bitter turn when Sylvanas released the plague en masse from Undercity. Losing three new men broke his heart, but the company still returned to Aberdeen with their heads held high. Military Service and Awards On September First, 626 K.C, Nicholai McGowen was made a Companion of the Order of the Lion by the Stormwind Awards and Honours committee, as well as giving the Town of Aberdeen's militia a meritorious unit award for their service in the War of Thorns and Battle for Tirisfal Glades. =Kul Tiras= Noting modern events, Nicholai has opted to seek audience with Kul Tiran nobles and business in hopes of securing trade routes. The most recent rumors state he has acquired two more ships and has signed a contract of significant profitable value though it is unknown with whom or what it entails as he himself has been unable to be reached for comment. His other activities in regards to recent events aren't widely known, for the most part he has simply not been seen or spoken to by anyone other than his immediate family and a few close business relations. =Noted Activities in Service to the King= * Aid in the rebuilding of New Stormwind City, 602 K.C. * Provided aid through ship and caravan in the recovery of Lordaeronian Refugees. 612-615 * Provided aid through ship and caravan in the recovery of citizens from: Alterac and Stromgarde 614-615 * Provided aid and volunteer mercenaries in the task of support units and corpse duty. 618-619 ** Minor bout of spelunking in the Storm Peaks. 619 ** Returned to the Eastern Kingdoms to evacuate any surrounding civilians in the area around Andorhal during it's siege in 619. * Provided ships carrying soldiers and supplies to Theramore prior to it's destruction. ~622 * Evacuations and disaster relief, primarily in food, outside shelter, and gold donations during the siege of Stormwind at the start of the Cataclysm. 620 * Donated mercenaries, paid for by him as they always are, to the battle for Arathi. 621 * Donated supplies to the Alliance Military throughout the Pandaria and Draenor campaigns. 622-626 ** Total donations, translated into gold, comes out to over two and a half million from 619-622 ** Total civilians recovered from Lordaeron during the Third War was several thousand. * Donations made to the Stormwind Orphanage include 4 million in gold since it was built to date. * Helped evacuate Teldrassil alongside Aberdeen Militia. * Helped escort Darkshore resident's to safety. * Assisted in the Siege of Lordaeron, recovering enemy technology and providing aid and relief assistance to the military. =Heraldry= The choice of Heraldry for Nicholai came down to understanding the difference between who he was and who he has become. Truly believing the sister he lost before he ever knew deserved to have some token of remembrance, and thought the best way he could honor her is by keeping her a part of his Country forever. The choice of dragons came largely down to having to choose between keeping the central dragon his sister had devised for her heraldry and representing something closer to home. The unicorn, a beast as rare as a truly charitable, corruption politician and philanthropist seemed perfect. Still, he felt his sister was absolutely right in choosing a dragon. Years of suffering and lose has hardened Nicholai, and with the War of Thorns peaking, ending with the loss of one of the most beautiful sights Nicholai had ever had the pleasure to lay eyes on, he felt the need to warn those who witnessed his Coat of Arms that he was not merely charitable. Most everything else was based on what he was asked to put in. The helm, a match to those the Aberdeen Militia use in combat, would take the place of both coronet and helm- as this is a time of war and not ritual. The last touch of his own was the phoenix feathers sprouting from the helm. Nicholai's long term goal is to have the town of Aberdeen prepared, trained, and equipped for war. Volunteers would come with him doing his usual search and rescue ops, and even when they were at home he felt better knowing they were well protected. =Rumors= * Some say while evacuating Lordaeronians he also evacuated forsaken and other sentient undead. In particular those who did not wish to serve Sylvanas. * There are some questions regarding his activities prior to being made a Lord. There are many years where he was not seen by his employees or friends, with only letters to say he was alive and to keep his affairs well while he was away on "business." To this day there's a bit of fun had among those who know guessing where he may have been. __FORCETOC__ Category:Characters Category:Human Category:Philanthropists Category:Dalaranian Category:Soldiers Category:Stormwind House of Nobles Category:Stormwind Army